Directions
for In-Class Paragraph #4 (Example)
Worth:
10% of course grade
Paragraph #4 (to be graded) will be
written in class on Thursday, Nov. 8
Recommended length: One
stand-alone paragraph of 100 to 200 words
In-Class
Writing Time Allowed: 75 min.
Bring a blank
college examination bluebook:
In-Class Paragraph #4 must be written in a bluebook or it will not be
accepted for grading.
Bring writing implements:
one (two to
be safe!) black or blue ink pens or dark-leaded pencils.
Optional: Dictionary
and/or thesaurus
Written Preparation & Preliminary
Draft(s) (for
credits):
Bring
to class to
be Workshopped on Tues., Nov. 6
Bring
to class on
Thurs., Nov. 8 - to be collected at the beginning of in-class
writing period. [NOTE WELL:
you cannot use notes, outlines or preliminary drafts to help you
write In-Class Paragraph #4 on Thurs., Nov. 8)
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Strategies for Success on Timed In-Class Writings:
THE WRITING PROCESS
Competency
8: Understand
the principles of the writing process in its basic form: generating ideas,
organizing ideas, drafting, revising and editing.
1. Analyze & Understand the Assignment so that you know what you are expected to do.
This is a key first step in the
Writing Process for college students, and you should ask questions if any part
of the assignment is unclear to you. Here
is the assignment:
In-Class
Paragraph #4 must be:
(A)
an
Example Paragraph
(review
Odyssey Ch. 7), to
be developed with one or more well-chosen specific examples supporting a
clear topic sentence/main idea);
AND . . .
(B) written
on your choice of one of the following topics:
1.
Halloween (or another holiday of your choice)
2.
Rude behavior
3.
Sweet dreams
4.
An intriguing character I have known
5.
Winter driving
2.
Choose
a Topic, Write a Topic Sentence, & Generate Well-Selected Example(s)
through Prewriting.
(Review Odyssey
Ch. 2 & Ch. 7) You
must develop In-Class Paragraph #4 and support its topic sentence with specific
example. You can satisfy this
requirement with one well-selected extended example, or two or more examples
that support your main point. Your
supporting example(s) must be developed specifically, and must be
well-selected as relevant to your topic sentence.
Try prewriting on more than one of the topics to help you choose the
best topic, create the best topic sentence, and develop the most effective
supporting example(s). Write out & revise, as needed, a clear, effective topic
sentence(s); then use it to help you unify your paragraph: that is, make sure
your example(s) are relevant support for the main idea expressed in topic
sentence(s).
3.
Organize
your presentation logically and effectively, and double-check that your
paragraph addresses the chosen topic and is unified.
Plan how you
will introduce the topic, present your topic sentence(s), order the
arrangement of the body example(s), and conclude your paragraph.
Create an outline to help you organize the presentation of your
material. Tips: If you are telling a story (narration) as one extended
example to support your topic sentence, review Ch. 5 for help on
chronological (time) organization and coherent transitions.
If you are developing your example(s) with description, review Ch. 6
for help with descriptive development, spatial organization and
transitions. If you are offering
several shorter examples to support your topic sentence, consider ordering
your examples from least to most effective in order to build to a climax (review
Odyssey Ch. 7). Make sure
your topic sentence(s) speak directly to the assigned topic that you have
chosen.
4.
Write
a preliminary draft of, and revise (as needed) In-Class Paragraph #4,
just as you would (and did, I hope) for other WR 20 Paragraphs.
Use (and revise) your outline to help you write your draft and order
the presentation of your material. Make
sure that your first sentence(s) introduce your readers to the topic choice,
that the main point of your paragraph is expressed in clear, well-placed topic
sentence(s), and that topic sentence(s) address the chosen topic. Check your examples for unity and relevance:
everything in your paragraph should support the main idea expressed in
the topic sentence(s). Check development: your
example(s) should be developed in enough specific detail to show your reader
what you mean and support your general point(s) clearly and convincingly. Review
Cora’s evaluations of previous WR 20 paragraphs to help you identify
strengths and weaknesses in your writing skills that may turn up again in
In-Class Paragraph #4. Be
prepared to ask your student Workshop group to comment on these aspects of
your outline/preliminary draft of Paragraph #4..
5.
Bring
your written preparation (detailed outline and/or preliminary draft) to the WR
20 Workshop on Tues., Nov. 6,
when you can discuss/read your plans for In-Class Paragraph #4 and get
additional feedback and suggestions for improvement from other students.
6.
Study
your paragraph and do practice timed writing(s) at home.
Will you be able to remember and have time to write and edit your
planned paragraph in class on Thurs., Nov. 8?
Find out by doing one or more practice timed writings at home.
Study your plan (outline and/or draft) until you know it well.
Then put it away—you won’t be able to use notes or drafts during
the In-Class writing period on Thurs., Nov. 8!!
Set a timer for 75 minutes, and try to write your planned In-Class
Paragraph from memory. Use your
75-minute timed period wisely: give
yourself 2-to-5 minutes at the beginning of the timed period to collect your
thoughts and jot down your remembered plan; allow yourself at least 10 minutes
at the end of the timed period to proofread and edit your paragraph for
clarity and grammatical correctness. Afterwards,
compare your practice timed paragraph to your planned outline/preliminary
draft: Did you run out of time
before finishing your paragraph? Did
you study your planned paragraph well enough to remember and follow your
plans? Did you have
adequate time to write your draft? To proofread and edit?—especially for
those common errors that we have been studying in class?
Review your at-home timed paragraph critically, assess its strengths
and weaknesses, revise and edit it, and devise solutions to any problems that
you identify. When you’re
ready, I recommend that you try timing yourself again and see if the resulting
paragraph has improved.
7.
Save
your written preparation (outlines, drafts, practice timed paragraph writing)
to turn in for Credits at the beginning of class on Thurs., Nov. 8.
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MANAGE YOUR TIME WISELY IN-CLASS ON
THURSDAY, NOV. 8:
Allow
yourself at least 5 min.
at the beginning of the timed writing period to collect your thoughts and
remember your planned example paragraph.
Feel free to use the front or back cover of the bluebook to jot down
your paragraph plans from memory at the beginning of the timed writing period.
Leave
yourself room in the bluebook to edit,
as you write your final draft: leave
at least 1” margins in the bluebook pages, and you may wish to double space
your paragraph in the bluebook and/or to write only on one side of each
bluebook page. This white space
will later give you room to make neat revisions and corrections, as needed.
Drafting:
It will probably take you 30 - 45 min. to actually write out
your planned draft of Paragraph #4 (assuming that you know your plans well).
Allow
yourself at least 10 to 15 minutes
at the end of the timed writing period to revise, edit and proofread your
work. Note that corrections,
cross-outs, etc. are acceptable as long as your writing is legible (readable).
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Grading criteria
will
include your ability to . . .
- Follow
directions and
address one of the assigned topics chosen from those given above;
- State
and place your Topic sentence(s) effectively, and
use it to….
- Focus
and Unify your paragraph:
everything in your paragraph—especially all your examples-- should
support and develop the main idea expressed in the topic sentence(s);
- Organize
your Paragraph logically and effectively: the
arrangement of your ideas & supporting examples, should be logical,
effective &easy to follow;
- Be
coherent & clear:
Express your ideas clearly and use well-chosen, well-placed transitions to
point out the relationships among your ideas and examples;
- Develop
your paragraph with examples that
are relevant and well selected to support the main idea/topic
sentence(s); and that are clear, specific, vivid enough to “show” the
reader what you mean and develop key ideas completely;
- Edit
to identify and correct sentence errors
studied in class thus far. (Tip:
Make and use an individualized revision and editing checklist, based on
problems you know you need to work on,
to increase your efficiency at this task!)
If you wish to try to strengthen or improve your grade
for the In-Class Paragraph (worth 10% of your overall course grade),
you may elect to try again on In-Class Paragraph #5, to be written in bluebooks during the second hour of our regularly scheduled Final
Exam period on Monday, December
3, 10:15 – 12:15, in Jefferson 101.
(NOTE: Everyone will be
taking Quiz #2 during the first hour of the final exam period.)
Review the directions handout for In-Class
Paragraph #4 for advice. Then
come to the Final, blank bluebook and pens/pencils in hand, prepared to write
on one of the following topic choices.
Choose one of the following topics
for Optional In-Class Paragraph #5):
1.
Use
well-selected specific example(s) to illustrate how people can have fun
without spending any money.
2.
Use vivid descriptive detail to introduce your readers to your most
prized possession.
3.
Explain the process you use to relax yourself after a hard day.
4.
Write a narrative paragraph on a past experience that forced you to
make a difficult choice.
GRADING: Optional In-Class Paragraph #5 will be evaluated by much the
same grading criteria used on In-Class Paragraph #4. The higher grade earned on In-Class Paragraph #5 or In-Class
Paragraph #4 will then be counted as 10% of your overall course grade in WR
20.
